Police raids across target 'hidden crime' of domestic abuse

Thursday 23 January 2014 11:57 BST

Police today raided hundreds of addresses across London in a mass crackdown on thugs and abusers engaged in domestic violence.

More than 4,500 officers took part in the so-called operation “Big Wing” against perpetrators suspected of committing the “hidden crime” of domestic abuse. The raids came as the number of reported abuse cases across the capital soared by nine per cent to 37,349 - and 15 per cent in some boroughs.

The Standard accompanied officers on raids at three addresses in Islington. Raids today included one where the boyfriend, a mechanic, 37, allegedly slapped his girlfriend, but had disappeared from the Holloway property when officers turned up.

At another address, officers went to arrest a stalker who had been pursuing his victim for more than two decades, despite her repeatedly moving home to evade him. One officer said: “They went out for a few weeks 21 years ago, broke up and he has been pursuing her ever since.”

The Met’s domestic violence chief, Commander Christine Jones, said officers were now using policing techniques, such as surveillance, more normally used to target robbers and burglars. With offences such as common assault, officers can even use as evidence things neighbours may have heard through the thin party walls, CCTV footage and the content of 999 background noise.

Commander Jones said: “Domestic abuse is not restricted to any socio-economic group, any particular age. We now record offending for 16 year olds and above as domestic violence.”

The increase in reported crimes was due to victim confidence rather than the “no criming” of some offences that was reported as happening in some sexual abuse cases. “We’ve got very strict and very robust supervision mechanisms to make sure we’re flagging these crime correctly,” she added.

Senior officers said they were focusing on “dangerous and prolific domestic abuse offenders” to help end the suffering of victims.

Commander Jones said: “Today’s action is a clear statement from the Met that we will not tolerate domestic abuse and will not allow it to remain hidden.

The majority of domestic abuse suspects arrested today were men, said Commander Jones. Police are also focusing on teenagers who are in abusive relationships.

‘Reach out and break the silence’

Mother-of-two Lisa Cabrera, 35, became involved in a violent relationship after meeting a man on holiday in Spain.

The successful businesswoman said that at first “it seemed perfect. Then little things start to happen, it starts with abusive language, then nothing happens for a while and you get back to the perfect person again.”

Ms Cabrera says she suffered broken bones and bruises and was threatened with having her throat slashed and her children killed. Police were called, often by worried neighbours, and they put her in touch with help groups. “Once you break that silence and reach out as say this is happening to me, the support is immense,” she said.